Jacket Gaiter and Storage Apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention comprises a garment, such as, for example, a jacket, having an attached, storable gaiter. The gaiter is stored in a storage space disposed about the hem of the garment and between the interior side and exterior side of the garment. When un-deployed, the gaiter resides in the storage space. When deployed, the gaiter extends from the storage space towards the hem of the garment to be secured about the wearer and inhibit the elements from entering the garment.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/537,445, filed Jan. 16, 2004, titled the same, and incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to jackets and, more particularly, to jackets having gaiters along the lower portion of the jacket with a storage space.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Jackets are typically worn in cold, rainy, or other inclement weather. On many jackets, the bottom hem of the jacket is loose fitting to allow for comfort. Unfortunately, the loose fitting also allows a pathway for the elements to enter the interior area of the jacket.

To block the pathway for the elements, many jackets have gaiters along the lower hem. The gaiter has an upper edge and a lower edge. The upper edge of the gaiter is often attached to the lower portion of the jacket and extends toward the jacket hem. The gaiter snaps, ties, or zips in an area substantially aligned with the jacket zipper. Further, the lower edge of the gaiter may be constructed with elastic. The elastic lower edge causes the gaiter to fit snuggly against the wearer blocking the pathway for the elements.

While the above gaiter is useful to block elements, people wearing jackets with gaiters in warmer weather or during strenuous activities may get overly hot. In this case, it would be desirous to have the pathway to the elements. Unzipping, untying, or unsnapping the gaiter provides a partial pathway, but this is a less than satisfactory vent. Thus, some conventional jackets contain removably attached gaiters. In other words, the upper edge of the gaiter may have part of a removable fastener, such as, for example, a zipper, a snap, and/or ½ of a hook and loop material like VELCRO. The corresponding zipper, snap, and/or ½ of the hook and loop material attached to an interior portion of the jacket above the hem. Wearers may completely remove the gaiter in these jackets to allow for additional ventilation in warmer weather or during strenuous activities.

The removable gaiter, while a better solution for ventilation, has several drawbacks. The major drawback is the removable gaiter is easily misplaced or lost when it is removed from the jacket. Thus, it would be desirable to develop a jacket in which the gaiter is not removable, but storable in a position that allows for ventilation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To attain the advantages and in accordance with the purpose of the invention, as embodied and broadly described herein, a jacket with a gaiter that has a deployed position and an un-deployed position is provided. In the deployed position, the gaiter fits snuggly to the wearer inhibiting the elements from penetrating the interior or the jacket. In the un-deployed position, the gaiter is stored in a pocket built into the inner liner of the jacket.

The foregoing and other features, utilities and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following more particular description of a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the present invention, and together with the description, serve to explain the principles thereof. Like items in the drawings are referred to using the same numerical reference.

FIGS. 1-3 are front plan views of a jacket consistent with an embodiment the present invention showing the gaiter in various stages;

FIGS. 4-6 are side plan views of the jacket consistent with an embodiment of the present invention showing the gaiter in various stages;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1-6. Although the present invention is described in relation to a jacket, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize on reading the disclosure that the present invention is applicable to other types of garments, such as shirts and other upper wear.

FIG. 1 shows a front, plan view a jacket 100 consistent with an embodiment of the present invention. Jacket 100 comprises an interior side 102 and an exterior side 104. Opposite side edges 106 may have corresponding closure mechanisms 106 c, such as, for example, zippers, snaps or other releasable closure devices generally known in the art. One of ordinary skill in the art would now recognize that FIG. 1 shows a plan view of the interior of an open jacket. Jacket 100 also comprises a hem 108 at the lower portion of the jacket where interior side 102 and exterior side 104 join by a seam. Hem 108 can be formed by any conventional method such as, for example, stitching, heat welding, or the like.

An opening 110 exists in interior side 102 above hem 108. Opening 110 is shown as extending substantially between side edges 106 along the interior side 102 of jacket 100. But opening 110 does not need to extend completely across the jacket interior as shown, but rather only needs to extend a sufficient amount to allow gaiter 300, explained in more detail below, to fit. Opening 110 has a top edge 112 and a bottom edge 114. Top edge 112 and bottom edge 114 are obscured in the figures by an optional protective flap 116. Protective flap 116 provides protection from the elements to a coupling device 118 that releasably couples top edge 112 and bottom edge 114. Coupling device 118 could be a number of conventional devices such as zippers, reverse coil zippers, snaps, hook and loop material, or the like. Partially shown in FIG. 1 is gaiter 300. As shown, the majority of gaiter 300 is in an un-deployed position 302.

Opening 110 provides access to a storage space 200. Storage space 200, best seen in FIGS. 4-6, resides between interior side 102 and exterior side 104 of jacket 100. Storage space 200 can be formed by additional material instead of the interior side 102 and exterior side 104 of jacket 100, if desired. Storage space 200 may extend above opening 110 and extends away from hem 108. Storage space 200 could be formed similar to a pocket, but configuring storage space 200 as a pocket may cause storage space to hang down below opening 110 towards hem 108. It has been found that this may cause an uncomfortable bulge in the jacket or an overly snug fit about the waist. Further, when formed as a pocket, storage space 200 may extend below hem 108. While devices can be installed to inhibit a pocket from hanging downwards as described, it has been found that designing storage space 200 such that the space resides above the waist and below the chest of a user is preferable. To inhibit gaiter 300 from hanging down towards hem 108 in the storage or un-deployed position, it is preferable if space 200 has a front wall 202 and a back wall 204. Cover 206 may connect front wall 202 and back wall 204 if desired. Alternatively, back wall 204 may be attached to exterior side 104 or other fabric not specifically shown. Back wall 204 of space 200 inhibits gaiter 300 from folding over and hanging down.

FIG. 2 further shows gaiter 300 after coupling device 118 has been uncoupled to allow opening 110 to open. A lower edge 310 of gaiter 300 can be seen in FIG. 2. To provide a snug fit, lower edge 310 may be comprised of elastic. Alternatively, a rope or cord (not specifically shown) may reside along or internal to lower edge 310 to allow tightening of lower edge 310. Residing at opposing edges of lower edge 310 reside closure flaps 312. Closure flaps 312 have corresponding coupling devices 314. Coupling devices 314 are capable of releasably coupling opposing edges of lower edge 310. Coupling devices 314 may be snaps, zippers, reverse coil zippers, hook and loop material, or the like. FIG. 5 shows a side, plan view of jacket 100 with gaiter 300 in a position corresponding to FIG. 2.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 6, gaiter 300 is shown in deployed position 304. In this position, lower edge 310 resides substantially about hem 108. Further, referring to FIG. 6, an upper edge 320 of gaiter 300 is shown. Upper edge 320 is shown coupled to back wall 204 of storage space 200 by a seam 322. Seam 322 can be formed by a number of conventional means, such as, for example, a stitch, heat weld or the like.

While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to an embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various other changes in the form and details may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. 

1. A garment, comprising: an interior side, an exterior side, and a lower hem; an opening disposed in the interior side of the garment; a closure mechanism coupled to the opening to allow opening and closing the opening; a storage space disposed between the interior side and the exterior side of the garment and accessible through the opening; a gaiter, the gaiter having a left side and a right side comprising a first end coupled to the storage space and a second, free end; and the gaiter having an un-deployed state wherein the gaiter is contained within the storage space and the closure mechanism is closed to inhibit access to the storage space, and a deployed state wherein the gaiter extends from the storage space towards the hem and the closure mechanism is opened to provide access to the storage space, wherein the gaiter is deployed to inhibit elements from entering the interior side of the garment.
 2. The garment of claim 1, wherein the second, free end comprises an elastic.
 3. The garment of claim 1, wherein the left side has a part of a closure device and the right side has a corresponding part of the closure device such that the gaiter can be secured about the wearer.
 4. The garment of claim 3, wherein the closure device comprise hook and loop material.
 5. The garment of claim 3, wherein the closure device comprises a zipper.
 6. The garment of claim 3, wherein the closure device comprises a plurality of snaps.
 7. The garment of claim 1, wherein the closure mechanism is selected from the group of closure mechanisms consisting of: a zipper, hook and loop material, snaps, or adhesives.
 8. The garment of claim 1, wherein the garment is a jacket.
 9. The garment of claim 1, wherein the storage space disposed between the interior side and the exterior side comprises a back wall coupled to the exterior side to prevent the gaiter from folding over and hanging down when in the un-deployed state.
 10. The garment of claim 1, wherein the storage space comprises a front wall, a back wall, and a cover extending from the front wall to the back wall to prevent the gaiter from folding over and hanging down when in the un-deployed state.
 11. The garment of claim 1, wherein the opening extends substantially across a length of the interior side.
 12. The garment of claim 1, wherein the opening extends across less than an entire length of the interior side.
 13. The garment of claim 1, wherein the left side and the right side comprise corresponding closure flaps coupled to the gaiter.
 14. A method of deploying a gaiter comprising the steps of: opening an opening in an interior of a garment; accessing a storage space through the opening; extending a gaiter stored in the storage space from a first end coupled to the storage space to a second, free end; and securing the gaiter about a wearer.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the extending the gaiter step comprises extending the gaiter to substantially about a hem of the garment.
 16. The method of claim 15, wherein the securing the gaiter step comprises releasably coupling corresponding closure devices.
 17. The method of storing a gaiter comprising the steps of: un-securing a gaiter from about a wearer; folding the gaiter from a free end to a secured end in a storage space; disposing the gaiter in the storage space; closing an opening in the interior of a garment to retain the gaiter in the storage space.
 18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of: un-securing the gaiter from about the wearer; folding the gaiter from the second, free end to the first end coupled to the storage space; disposing the gaiter in the storage space; closing an opening in the interior of a garment to retain the gaiter in the storage space.
 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the opening step comprises releasably separating a closure mechanism.
 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the closing step comprises releasbly coupling the closure mechanism. 